Wayside Chapel parties with Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull Christmas Day
Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull joined high-spirited revellers at the annual Wayside Chapel Christmas feast in Sydney with the former prime minister a hit among volunteers and guests.
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Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull joined high-spirited revellers at Sydney’s Wayside Chapel on Christmas Day with the former prime minister receiving a warm welcome as he helped volunteers feed hundreds of people.
The popular annual yuletide meal and street party at Wayside’s Potts Point headquarters kicked off in the morning with an enthusiastic street party sing- along.
About 50 staff and 200 volunteers kept the day ticking along with the homelessness support organisation getting so much interest in the lead-up to Christmas that they had to turn away eager helpers.
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Mr Turnbull, who commended Wayside’s work, proved popular with guests as he served kebabs and posed for selfies.
“This is a place of practical and unconditional love,” Turnbull announced to the loud cheers and applause from the crowd.
“Thank you to Reverend Graham Long and his successor Jon and all the volunteers. Have a happy Christmas and God bless.”
The lunch is an annual highlight on the streets of Kings Cross but as staff, volunteers and guests sat down together, Pastor and CEO of Wayside Chapel Jon Owen, said the day wasn’t really about food.
“This is open to everyone and most people aren’t coming here just for some food,” said Pastor
Owen.
“As we get bigger and busier each year we become more socially connected but are also becoming more lonely and isolated.”
He said the Christmas lunch is a reminder that there is a need for love and connection for every human heart.
Christmas is the organisation’s biggest day of the year and Pastor Owen said they noticed an increase in requests for help over the festive season. “Around this time of year, if you have a stretched budget it’s gonna snap, if you have a brittle relationship it’s probably gonna break over this period because it’s become so stressful,” he said.
“The most simple and valuable things are often overlooked … it’s not the gifts we get this Christmas but the ones we share together.”
For Nikki Lange it is her second year volunteering at the Wayside Christmas lunch along with her 14-year-old son Rohan, after her other son Christopher, 26, died last year.
“After Christopher died I just couldn’t stay at home anymore and I decided the best way to
honour him was to give service to others,” Nikki said.
Andrew Windsor was homeless for eight years and now volunteers, said he hopes his
experience can help someone else who is in a similar position.
“Wayside helped me through my challenging years and now volunteering and being on the other side of it all, I just want to let people know that there are people that will stand by you and support you,” Andrew said.
Originally published as Wayside Chapel parties with Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull Christmas Day
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